Tamamo took the priestly robe and put it upon her; in one hand she took the staff, in the other the bowl. And when she had done this, she vanished for ever from the sight of earthly men.
“O thou, Tathagatha,” said Genyo, “and thou, Kwannon, Merciful Lady, make it possible that one day even she may attain Nirvana.”
XXIX
MOMOTARO
If you’ll believe me there was a time when the fairies were none so shy as they are now. That was the time when beasts talked to men, when there were spells and enchantments and magic every day, when there was great store of hidden treasure to be dug up, and adventures for the asking.
At that time, you must know, an old man and an old woman lived alone by themselves. They were good and they were poor and they had no children at all.
One fine day, “What are you doing this morning, good man?” says the old woman.
“Oh,” says the old man, “I’m off to the mountains with my billhook to gather a faggot of sticks for our fire. And what are you doing, good wife?”
“Oh,” says the old woman, “I’m off to the stream to wash clothes. It’s my washing day,” she adds.
So the old man went to the mountains and the old woman went to the stream.